The statements in this section merely provide background information related to the present disclosure. Accordingly, such statements are not intended to constitute an admission of prior art.
Crossbows and bows can be used to launch a hunting projectile at a game animal for the purpose of taking the animal. A crossbow launches a bolt, and a bow launches an arrow. A hunting projectile includes a sharp or piercing tip. According to one embodiment, the tip includes a broad-head tip known in the art. A tip can be connected to an insert, for example, made of a plastic material, and the insert can be fastened or adhered within a front end of the shaft. A hunting projectile includes fletching. Fletching traditionally included feathers helping the projectile to fly true. Modern fletching can include plastic devices formed into shapes similar to feather fletching. The projectile includes a shaft connecting to the tip and the fletching. According to one known configuration, fletching is connected to a rear portion of the shaft, with three fletches dispersed equally around the shaft and aligned longitudinally with the shaft. An arrow can include a nock connected to the rear end of an arrow, including a notch to fit upon a bow string.
Modern hunting equipment includes powerful launching equipment and effective projectiles. The projectile can be fired effectively to long ranges and with high projectile speeds. However, upon hitting an animal being hunted, the high speed of the projectile and an effective broad-head tip design can result in the projectile passing entirely through the hunted animal. Even if the projectile successfully pierces a vital organ of the hunted animal and results in an ultimately lethal injury to the animal, the wound without any remnant of the projectile remaining in the wound can result in only minor bleeding. The wounded animal can run a great distance from the hunter before succumbing to the wound, and with only minimal bleeding, the hunter may not be able to see enough blood to track the animal. Further, the process is less humane to the hunted animal if the animal survives for a long time with a fatal wound than if the animal is brought down quickly.